Shasta in June

“I was thinking of climbing Shasta in June. Anyone interested in such a trip? Its 14,100 feet, so it will be a major physical endeavor. I have not climbed it before, so someone else can tell us of the need for crevasse rescue gear, ropes, etc.”

“Mtnsteve lives up there close by and used to own a guide business.”

“Yes, he's da man, but I recall him saying the other day that he's off on a 10-day trip, so should be back in a week or so.”

“Depends on which route.
The trade route via Avalanche gulch does not have any crevasse risk.

You will need flexible crampons (walking not ice climbing) and an ice axe and knowledge of how to self arrest.

It is a trail walk until about 1/2 mile from Helen Lake at 10k ft, then crampons to Helen L. Or maybe just a snow slog if the weather is warm and the snow slushy.

Most people camp overnight at Helen, more for acclimitization to avoid AMS than anything else.

From Helen a steep crampon walk up to red banks at around 13K. Start very early because when the sun warms up rocks roll down.

Get through red banks via one of 3 chutes, if you slip and cannot self arrest here you will probably go down about 1000ft and be a very hurting puppy.

Walk up a snow slope for a few hundred feet. Take the crampons off, then up misey hill a gravel choss pile of about 800ft, flat snow walk for 1/4 mile and 200ft scramble up some rocks to the top.

Going down crampons back on at the base of misery hill and at the top of the red banks chutes make a decision, down climb with crampons, or take the crampons off and slide on your butt using the ice axe as brakes. I down climbed cos I am chicken.

Below redbanks, crampons off, slide or glissade 3000 ft down and walk last few hundres ft to Helen lake, pack up your stuff and walk back to horse camp at 8kft. Horse camp is a pleasant place to be with a nice fresh water spring and "potties" Helen is a solar oven when the sun is up, and a glacial moraine (rocks, rocks, and more rocks, melt dirty snow for water) and blue bag for potty.

I think all other routes have some crevasse risk when crossing glaciers.

If you are a real flatlander it may be worthwhile spending a night at Horse camp on the way in for more altitude adjustment.”

“Thanks, Manuka, that is just the kind of information I hoped I would get. I'm not a flatlander, but not in the shape I was 30 years ago. Back then Rainier was easy, now its a huge challenge.”

“Do you know the elevation gain from parking lot to Lk Helen, and from Helen to the top?”

“Bunny Flat parking is about 6k
Horse camp about 8k
Helen Lake about 10k

Red banks 13k
Summit 14,162 ft

So a day hike (some people do) is a 16k day with crampons etc in the day pack, better pray for good weather.

Most go from helen lake and back to horse, or all the way out.
10k day to Horse camp 4 up and 6 down.

All the way out is an easy walk out as an extra 2k on an easy down hill is nothing but now you have to drive somewhere before you can sleep. Horse is a nice camping spot that get you an early start tomorrow.”

“Shasta (Avalanche Gulch route) is easier than Rainier if for no other reason than you don't have to wake up at midnight to start climbing. The glissade down Avalanche Gulch is also awesome and a timesaver.”

“If there is no crevasse danger, is a rope needed? Are helmets advisable? What is the permit situation?”

“You asked this question before, and my answer is the same

If Avalanche gulch route,

No rope is needed.
No deadmen, and no pulleys, because there are no crevasses on Av Gulch route.

From the Southwest you will probably need a rope and maybe some climbing gear for the ridge routes; Cassava ridge, Green Butte, and Sergeants ridge. The last 2 you will be crossing the Bergsgrund of the Konwakiton glacier at the top.

From the East the only route that DOES NOT involve glacier travel is Clear creek.

From the North assume all routes require glacier travel.

If you are not going Avalanche gulch I would suggest a guide book and topo.

take look at this site for more data

Definitly recommend a helmet, loose rocks tumbling down the steep slope from the red banks soon after sunrise, loosened by sun or another climbers boots, who knows.

Permits available at ranger station in Shasta City. There is normally a ranger at Helen lake but I do not know if you can get the permit from the ranger then.

The infamous blue bags are also available at Shasta City ranger station, again at the building in the Bunny Flat car lot, and some are often in the cabin up at horse camp.

There is a disposal dumpster for used blue bags at Bunny Flat on the way out.

If you have a reflective space blanket it makes a good sun shade tarp up at Helen to reduce the roasting effect of the 3000ft parabolic reflector. The sun reflecting off the huge snow bowl onto you.

Do check the Shasta web site for current height of freezing. When i went freezing was about 16kft so I cut back on cold weather gear, 25f sleeping bag instead of 0f, leather boots are much more comfortable and lighter than plastic, but only if the temp predictions are for not too cold.”

“One more note,

Avalanche gulch is just that.

If avvy conditions are high the gulch is suicide

The normal alternative then is Green Butte Ridge with a different car park, or Cascade Gulch from Horse camp. Cascade is easier but has no high camp (you start from Horse camp 8kft) and you do have a glacier crossing.
Green Butte has a high camp but not as high as Helen.”

“I haven't been up Shasta, but I did read a book about it--definitely wear a helmut to protect against falling rocks. An important consideration is the weather. Apparently, the mountain makes its own weather and visibility can be seriously decreased without much time for response. Some years back, some local people got caught up there and didn't come back. When the visibility is zero, people can wander into areas where there are crevasses. The book recommended either using a local guide or at least talking with a local guide about the likely weather on the day you are going. Seems to me, one would carry along the minimum food, water, and shelter needed to hunker down overnight if necessary, rather than wander around with no visibility.”

“Guide books always recommend a guide, if you were a taxi driver would you suggest people walk ?

trouble with guided groups is the group goes at the pace of the slowest member, actually that is true of all groups but the guided group has a bunch of people you do not know, who have all admitted to themselves they do not think they can go alone. 1/2 way up the hill the guide cannot say "gumby go home" so all suffer.”

“A friend of mine suggests the Hotlam-Wintun route on the north side, saying the south route is a zoo, with 200 people on the route, long sun exposure, and hot. Any thoughts?”

“How much experience do you have?...the Hotlam-Wintun route is generally considered a level 3 route, it requires not just crampons and ice ax, but the ability to actually use them. Most folks rope up for that route as well. It sounds like your buddy is talking about the Avalanche Gulch route (level 1) on the South side, truly a zoo.

Another route that is not nearly as congested as Avalanche Gulch and not as technical as Hotlam-Wintun, is Clear Creek (level 1) Few people, lots of exposure and no rope required. You will still need crampons and ax's of course.

East side routes Also a great source of information on Shasta

Some route descriptions Another great source for Shasta info.

You can take a virtual tour here of the Clear Creek Route (it's steeper then it looks) and here for the Wintun/Hotlum route

I have climbing route maps as well if your interested.”

“My link to the Mt. Shasta Virtual Photo Tour didn't come out right...just click on South East and Wintun/Hotlum to see the tour.”

“

Clear Creek Route”

“Hotlum-Winton ridge gets you to the base of the Hotlun Glacier, or the Winton Glacier.

Hotlum Glacier is rated as moderately technical.

Winton Glacier is rated as one of the most technical routes.

Both start from Brewer creek at 7200ft with no designated camping areas so you have 7,000 vertical ft before you start to count technical delays.

Probably a long day, and possible AMS trouble if you have not acclibitized for a couple of days from a base camp first.

Google to see if you can find some TR's from people who have actually done it.

From the South- take a left at Horse Camp and look at Cascade Gulch. This has been upgraded from least technical to moderate because of crossing Whitney Glacier in the upper part. Still easier access through Bunny Flat to Horse camp. You will not have much company on that route after Horse camp, but if the weather goes to chit you have Avvy gulch as a bail route with lots of people and rangers too, and you will still be on the same side of the mountain as your gear.”

“Cascade Gulch is another good route. Be aware that sometimes route finding can be a pain because of snow condfitions..once we had problems accessing Whitney Glacier and another time the lack of snow caused some interesting hiking on loose stuff. This can apply to any route though.

We've done Cassaval without ropes on the South side as well. You can bail out, like
Manuka mentioned, if the need arises, as well.

Foot note....Mt Shasta recently claimed its 48th victim a couple weeks ago...the climber fell while doing Cassaval and hit his head after falling several hundred feet.”

“What are these levels, One, Two and Three? Is it something similar to the grade system of Yosemite climbs, Grade I, II, II and so on, with a grade III being an all day climb? How do they compare with routes on Rainier? I wonder what level the Ptarmigan Traverse is, or Dissapointment Cleaver on Rainier?”

“Taken from Mount Shasta Climbers Guide

Crampons & ice axe skills required on all levels

Level One.. No Technical Difficulty recommended for beginners, no rope travel required

Level Two.. Moderate Difficulty somewhat steeper ground, may require roped travel

Level Three.. Moderate Technical Climbing glacier travel, ropes, required equip & open crevasses

Level Four.. Difficult Climbing rock and ice with with a great commitment

Level Five.. Extreme Climbing rock and ice with great exposure & objective hazards”

“I cant compare any of the routes to Rainier...never been there.”

“MtnSteve:

Those were some great links! Thanks. Boy, it sure would be fun to have a big mountain like Shasta in your backyard. When I lived in Yakima and was doing Mtn Rescue, Mt. Adams was in our area, and we also went on practice trips on Rainier. I was thinking I'd climb Mt. Borah in Idaho (the highest peak in ID, at 12,000+) a few weeks before the Shasta trip. All the routes look pretty doable to me. I used to keep track of the peaks and rockclimbing routes I had climbed, but quit about 25 years ago at about 200. I've never done Shasta before, and it would give me a motivation for working out.”

“why did I read this link, why, why, why? It sounds like a nice climb. I had to read up on the routes in my R&I Mountain Guide 2003 (No. 123). They have some nice info. on the routes you are talking about.”

“Especially when you're drunk.”

“?”

“I have done the west face gully twice. its a nice route as well.”

“Idaho Bob...glad you enjoyed the links. Shasta is a beautiful Mountain. I don't get on her as much as when I was training Amy (most every weekend for years) but it still speaks to me. If you need a place to crash when you come our here, let me know. I may even try and meet ya and say hello...I do have a cache up there I need to check on.

Hey BB...you always have a place to crash as well....”

“Thanks for the offer. I am assuming we'll car camp at the trailhead. Where do you live?”

“Dang, looks my my two partner forget to put the Shasta trip on their calendars, and now they have comittments Friday and Monday, and one of them over that weekend itself that we had planned. I'm afraid that if I don't go on the weekend set aside, the rest of my weekends will be booked, or I'll have to cancel a family backpack. So I just may go solo. That means that I'll have to choose an easier route. Waht do you think, Mtn Steve and Manuka? Maybe it will be Av Gulch and Helen lake for me. It would be nice to not to have to carry a rope. Are crampons needed this time of year?”

“Holy Cow, the virtual tour view of the red banks chimney looks a little steep. No rope is required for that?”

“No. It is only Class Two.

Do the Avalanche Gulch route if doing it solo.

But next time, DO Hidden Valley!”

“Avalanche Gulch, crampons and axe is all you need. helmet a good idea with rocks knocked down from above.

Do bring compass and take back bearings when exiting the chimneys.

Red banks chimneys.
1st has about 20 feet of 70deg(steep) ice at the bottom which you can front point.

All rest is maybe 50deg crunchy snow.

2nd & 3rd chimneys are less steep, no ice.
Pick least slope that still has snow, as where no snow is sort of gravel and difficult to walk. After chimney move to left to get on snow slope to base of Misery hill.

Getting down, either downclimb chimneys, or remove crampons and butt slide using axe as brake.
Below chimneys is all buttslide.

Most common cause of injury on Mtn (according to Ranger on duty) is sliding with crampons still on.”

“Thanks! I'm still mulling it over.”

“Hooray, Shasta is on again! One of my partners decided he could get away after all, so we'll drive down Saturday, climb Sun and Mon, and drive home Tuesday. Oh boy oh boy oh boy! Where can we sleep in the car on Sat night?

My friend has heard that clear creek is a good route, and doesn't require a rope. I guess at the top you cross over to the AG route. I'm much relieved.”

“Correct, will not need a rope.

No, Clear creek is on east side of mtn. Av gulch South West so no cross over to Av gulch, Konwakiton glacier between routes.

You probably will not see anyone until on summit plateau. Best to use wands to mark where you turn off for the return trip.

Not been on this route but read TR's. Navigation can be tricky so watch the weather. If you have to bail down to Av Gulch (safety in numbers) it will be a looong way back to car.

Worthwhile to avoid mobs at Helen L. but trade off is no high camp for acclimitization.

Bring a big black garbage bag. Fill with snow before going up to summit, it will act as solar oven and have a supply of water when you return (tired) to camp after summit.”

“I think we want to go to Helen Lake, or some high camp, so maybe Clear Creek is not the one for us. The snow trash bag idea is a great one, and will save some fuel.

Is it camping on the snow at Helen lake this time of year?”

“ Southwest Shasta

Great diagram of southwest camps and routes.

Alternates are Green Butte, or Cascade Gulch. I believe something changed on Cascade Gulch and it now does have a glacier crossing (need rope) at the top.

Helen lake is a snow bowl and there will be snow, but given the number of people using the route and the inevitable rectum who does not blue bag their stuff out, the snow is pretty dirty. Move over to the left and mine clean snow from the base of Casaval ridge.

Most people camp on the small rocky ridge which is the outside rim of the lake to avoid the rocks that roll down from the red banks 3,000 ft above. Can be very hot, use a spaceblanket as a sun reflector shade shield.

another good link with current conditions ”

“Call Fifth Season in the town of Mt. Shasta for route reports. Some of those routes may be done already due to melt.

http://www.thefifthseason.com/”

“Oh and if you haven't considered the Hidden Valley route up through the West Face Gulch and it's still viable, do it! The camping in the valley is amazing and you can pretty much glissade down the whole mountain.”

“Hidden valley, we'll check it out. Thanks.”

“So, helmets are always advised? Gaitors?”

“yes and yes. Especially this late in the season, rockfall can be a serious issue.”

“I got everything packed up last night except food, and I came in at less than 30 pounds. That included crampons, ice axe, helmet, stove, pot, and clothes. I've been training carrying 55, so that sounds pretty good. It didn't include water, which will add some weight.”

“A lightweight summit pack is a good thing. Summit day probably only need water(2 or 3 L), food bars, compass & map, and wands if you are taking a non-herd route.

Have a blast, although the web cam shows v/little snow so expect a lot of gravel hiking.”

“We have decided to take a herd route, Avalance Gulch, but we'll be going up Sunday, and summitting on Monday, if all goes well. So maybe there won't be that much of a herd with us, but a lot of tracks from the weekend.”

“A good choice if you have not been on the mountain before.

Went in with a group of Scouts from our Troop.
We are in NJ, so basically at sea level.
1 night at Horse camp for acclimitization.
1 night at Helen lake.
1 person of 7 did not feel well at about 11,500 and went back to camp.

The black plastic bag saves a lot of melting time.”

“I've got the black plastic bag packed.”

“manuka and Mtn Steve and all, thanks for the advice. The black bag worked great for melting water, and we got a few liters even on a cold day.

There weren't many people going up on the day we did, about 10 on the summit, which we passed on the trail at various times. We went through the red bands via a snow gulley on the way up, and went around them through "the notch" on the way down. Glissaded the 3000 down past the "heart".

Thanks for the good advice everyone. My partners wanted to especially thank you for the black bag snow melting advice.

Bob”

“Glad you had a good trip.

Unfortunately that is where I learned about the black bag, too late, but good for all future trips.

Ain't the butt slide down fun!!

We just packed at Helen and hiked on down to spend the night at Horse. Luxury, an actual sit down dunny, clean cold spring water, plenty of flat ground under shade, almost like car camping.”